Guide · Device identification
How to identify your exact iPhone model
Model names hide the details that matter. Here is how to pin down an iPhone's identifier, model number, and full hardware tree.
"iPhone 15 Pro" is a marketing name, not a specification. Under it sit several distinct shipping configurations: regional variants with different radio bands, different storage tiers, different model numbers. If you are ordering parts, quoting a repair, checking band support before travel, or comparing benchmark results, you need the exact model — not the name.
iPhones carry three identifiers that matter: a hardware model identifier such as iPhone18,2, an A-number such as A3101 that marks the regulatory variant, and a part-style model number such as MN572LL/A that encodes region and configuration. This guide shows where to find each one, and when to trust the device instead of a lookup table.
The three identifiers, explained
Two phones sharing one name can differ in all three. That is why "which iPhone do you have?" is a harder question than it looks, and why support technicians ask for a number, not a name.
- Model identifier (iPhone18,2) — the machine-readable hardware ID the OS reports in diagnostics, development tools, and analytics logs. One identifier maps to exactly one hardware generation; this is the one tools speak.
- A-number (A3101) — the regulatory model, shown in Settings and printed on the device. It distinguishes regional variants of the same phone: different bands, different radios.
- Model number (MN572LL/A) — the sales configuration: region, storage, color. The suffix encodes the destination market (LL/A is the United States). This is the one to quote for parts and resale.
Find the model number in Settings
On the device, open Settings > General > About. Recent iOS versions list the model name at the top, followed by Model Number, Serial Number, and the rest of the device record. The Model Number field starts as the part-style number (M…). Tap it once and it toggles to the A-number — no external lookup needed.
The same About screen is the fastest authoritative source when an identifier lookup depends on OS version. If the phone runs, start there; if it does not, the A-number printed on the device or its original packaging, receipt, or box label is the fallback.
Apple's support pages vs on-device identification
Apple publishes a support article that lists every iPhone by model year with photos and A-numbers. It is the canonical reference for "which iPhone is this?" when you can compare the device against pictures — and it stays current in a way printed charts never do.
The limitation is that a support page is an external lookup, and it resolves to a model line rather than your exact unit. It will not tell you which regional variant you are holding, which storage tier it carries, or how the configuration changed after an internal repair. On-device identification reads the identifiers the hardware itself reports, so there is nothing to eyeball and nothing to misquote.
How Lirum Device Info identifies the exact model
Lirum Device Info 2 reads the identifiers directly from the device and resolves them against its Apple reference data — 94 device models and 252 specification fields. The Device information browser, included in the free tier, identifies the model before you quote or repair, maps model identifiers to the SoC, and surfaces regional variants, product codes, and the hardware tree: chipset and memory context, internal interfaces and radio data, and sensor availability.
For deeper work, the Hardware Browser (Premium, beta) walks the hardware tree directly, and the Apple hardware timeline places the identified model against every other product line. The same app runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac (Apple silicon), Apple Vision Pro, and Apple Watch — one tool for the whole bench.
Questions & answers
iPhone identification FAQ
Short answers to the questions that come up most often about iPhone identification.
What is the difference between the model name, model number, and identifier?
The name ("iPhone 15 Pro") is marketing. The A-number (such as A3101) identifies the regulatory and regional variant. The model number (such as MN572LL/A) encodes region, storage, and color for sales and parts. The model identifier (such as iPhone18,2) is what the OS and diagnostics logs report. Each answers a different question.
Where is the A-number on my iPhone?
In Settings > General > About, tap Model Number to toggle from the part-style number to the A-number. Physically, the A-number appears on the original packaging and — on older models with a physical SIM tray — on the tray itself. If the phone runs, Settings is the fastest source.
Why do two iPhones with the same name have different model numbers?
Because the name covers every regional variant and configuration. The same phone sold in different countries can differ in radio bands, dual-SIM behavior, and physical details like the SIM tray. The model number's suffix encodes the destination market — LL/A is the United States, for example.
Can I identify an iPhone that will not turn on?
Not from Settings. Fall back to the A-number on the packaging or receipt, the markings on the device (or its SIM tray on older models), or the original box label. If the device boots far enough to run an app, on-device tools such as Lirum can read the identifiers directly.
Does Lirum identify iPads and Macs too?
Yes. Lirum Device Info 2 runs on iPhone (iOS 17.6+), iPad (iPadOS 17.6+), Mac with Apple M1 or later (macOS 14.6+), and Apple Vision Pro (visionOS 26.0+), with an Apple Watch companion app (watchOS 26.0+). The identification workflow is the same across platforms.